Summer seems to be a good way to celebrate your birthday. The weather is perfect to go outside and feel the sun on your face. Additionally, summer birthdays are the best because babies who are born during this season also appear to be healthier according to a new British study.
Ken Ong, programme leader at the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, writes via email "Children who were born in the summer were slightly heavier at birth, taller as adults, and went through puberty slightly later, relative to those born in winter months." His study was also published in the journal Heliyon.
Ong and his colleagues looked at 450,000 births from the UK Biobank. Participants, ages 40 to 69, were recruited from 1946 to 1975. They found out that summer babies weigh more at birth and experience delayed puberty. This leads to improved health as an adult. They also highlighted the importance of maternal health.
The results showed that promoting good health of mothers during and even before pregnancy can show the very long-lasting impact on the next generation. Diet and exercise are still two of the basic things we need to do to improve our health. Summer babies could be healthier according to the study because their mothers' have increased exposure to the sun and vitamin D.
It is still unclear as to how the birth months contribute to our overall health. Below is what we know so far.
January to June
Babies born on the first half should watch their cholesterol and sodium intake. They have higher risk of cardiovascular disease especially for February, March and April. On the other hand, they have less chances to experience neurological problems.
June, July, and August
Those who were born in summer had higher birth weight and later puberty, which a basis for better health as adults.
May, June, July, August, and September
Those born these months are slightly less fertile than others.
October, November, December
Those born in the latter part have a harder time paying attention. ADHD is higher for those born in November. They also have an increased risk of respiratory, reproductive, and neurological illness. However, babies born in December showed no risk of or protection from disease. Lastly, babies born in September, October, and November experience less risk of cardiovascular disease.
